1When there had been no rain for a long time, the Lord told me to say to the people:

2Judah and Jerusalem weep

as the land dries up.

3Rulers send their servants

to the storage pits for water.#14.3 storage pits for water: Since water was scarce, pits were dug into solid rock for collecting and storing rainwater. These pits were called “cisterns.”

But there's none to be found;

they return in despair

with their jars still empty.

4There has been no rain,

and farmers feel sick

as they watch cracks appear

in the dry ground.#14.4 cracks … ground: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.

5A deer gives birth in a field,

then abandons her newborn fawn

and leaves in search of grass.

6Wild donkeys go blind

from starvation.

So they stand on barren hilltops

and sniff the air,#14.6 sniff the air: The Hebrew text has “sniff the air, like jackals” (see the note at 9.11).

hoping to smell green grass.

The Lord's People Pray

7We rejected you and did evil,

so we deserve to be punished.

But if you rescue us, Lord,

everyone will see

how great you are.

8You're our only hope;

you alone can save us now.

You help us one day,

but you're gone the next.

9Did this disaster

take you by surprise?

Are you a warrior

with your hands tied?

You have chosen us,

and your temple is here.

Don't abandon us!

The Lord's Answer

10My people,

you love to wander away;

you don't even try

to stay close to me.

So now I will reject you

and punish you for your sins.

I, the Lord, have spoken.

Lying Prophets

11The Lord said, “Jeremiah, don't ask me to help these people. 12They may even go without eating#14.12 go without eating: The people of Israel sometimes went without eating to show sorrow for their sins. and offer sacrifices to please me#14.12 sacrifices to please me: These sacrifices have traditionally been called “whole burnt offerings” because the whole animal was burned on the altar. A main purpose of such sacrifices was to please the Lord with the smell of the sacrifice, and so in the CEV they are sometimes called “sacrifices to please the Lord.” and to give thanks.#14.12 sacrifices … to give thanks: These sacrifices have traditionally been called “grain offerings.” A main purpose of such sacrifices was to thank the Lord with a gift of grain, and so in the CEV they are sometimes called “sacrifices to give thanks to the Lord.” But when they cry out for my help, I won't listen, and I won't accept their sacrifices. Instead, I'll send war, starvation, and disease to wipe them out.”

13I replied, “The other prophets keep telling everyone that you won't send starvation or war, and that you're going to give us peace.”

14The Lord answered:

They claim to speak for me, but they're lying! I didn't even speak to them, much less choose them to be my prophets. Their messages come from worthless dreams, useless fortunetelling, and their own imaginations.

15Those lying prophets say there will be peace and plenty of food. But I say that those same prophets will die from war and hunger. 16And everyone who listens to them will be killed, just as they deserve. Their dead bodies will be thrown out into the streets of Jerusalem, because their families will also be dead, and no one will be left to bury them.#14.16 dead bodies … bury them: A proper burial was considered very important.

17Jeremiah, go and tell the people how you feel about all this.

So I told them:

“Tears will flood my eyes

both day and night,

because my nation suffers

from a deadly wound.

18In the fields I see the bodies

of those killed in battle.

And in the towns I see crowds

dying of hunger.

But the prophets and priests

go about their business,

without understanding

what has happened.”#14.18 go about … has happened: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.